Reconnect with your family on a mini vacation

During old-school family road trips it was Dad’s job to say, “I can turn this car around right now!” But today’s families need a new kind of getaway to reverse the alarming decline of families spending quality time with one another. With hectic work schedules, overscheduled kids and a profusion of digital distractions for all, families are spending less “together time” than ever, often to the detriment of children and the family as a whole.

Nationally renowned family therapist Carleton Kendrick suggests families use the “Immediate Family Reunion,” as a solution to reconnect. This means taking multiple short vacations throughout the year as a fun alternative to the traditional long spring or summer vacation.

“Families often come to me looking for a simple solution to their over-scheduling. They are hungry for easy ways to find quality time with one another,” said Kendrick. “These ‘immediate family reunions’ close to home are perfect for families needing to step away from the frenetic pace of daily life, without the stress of booking those ever-elusive end-all, be-all yearly vacations.”

In the past 20 years, there has been a 33 percent decline in the number of families who eat dinner together regularly, according to research by the University of Minnesota. Despite this, experts are virtually unanimous on the importance of family time.

Given the rising cost of gas, up nearly 25 cents per gallon from 2005 as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy, and the continuing trend of underutilized vacation time, Carleton suggests these “mini vacations” can be a regular and cost effective way to reunite and renew connections.

Often-overlooked amenities such as hotel restaurants, room service, spas, pools and proximity to popular attractions provide families with a stress-free environment that encourages talking, playing or simply eating together. These activities offer a welcome opportunity for families to actually talk to each other. While the average household’s TV was on for more than eight hours a day from Oct. 2004 to Oct. 2005, reports Neilsen Media Research, a recent survey by Cynthia Langham at the University of Detroit revealed that parent /children communication racked up a paltry 14.5 minutes a day. Nick Stennet and John DeFrain, researchers and authors of “Secrets of Strong Families” discovered school-age kids list “doing things together” as a key ingredient in family happiness.

“The desire of time-crunched families to spend time together is rising just as fast as the price of gas. We offer a variety of cost-effective options for that quick weekend getaway that offers the most togetherness for the least stress,” said Nicole Hockin, leisure travel expert, hotels.com. “Our services allow families to sit down together to choose hotels with the perfect amenities for them.”

To assist families in planning their next Immediate Family Reunion, hotels.com offers true hotel expertise backed by a suite of sophisticated online tools including side-by-side hotel comparisons, full lists of hotel amenities, guest reviews, access to deals and promotions and information on popular activities surrounding desired hotel locations.

Tips For An Immidiate Family Reunion

Plan multiple mini-vacations throughout the year. This reduces the stress level of planning the be-all, end-all trip.

No need to look beyond city limits. Planning a vacation close to home is a great way to save money and get away from it all without getting very far away at all.

Involve your kids in your planning. Consider what special family things they would like to do together, or where they’d like to explore during the family retreat.

Making memories. Find out what family members want to remember and experience the most from the family weekend.

“No Batteries Required.” While no one likes rules, facilitate togetherness by making plans for group activities – swimming, biking, painting and massages. And dedicate to the activities 100 percent – no TV, cell phones or e-mail!

Making Plans. Ease the search for finding the right hotel for your family needs – pet friendly, onsite restaurants, gym, spa/salon – using the helpful search and comparison tools of hotels.com.

Scheduling personal time. While it’s a family weekend, spending 24-hours a day with the family can be daunting, so make sure to schedule time for individuals.

(Source: Hotels.com)